FBI, Secret Service plan 360-degree security for inauguration

WASHINGTON — On a bone-chilling Monday morning, agents and technical specialists from the Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation huddled and shifted from foot to foot.

They were trying to stay warm in near zero-degree weather as they prepared to demonstrate to the media a half-dozen reasons anyone or any organization planning to attack the 2016 inaugural should think twice.

Rhetoric from hostile nation-states, active threats on social media and angry protesters are just part of what authorities are preparing for.

Six units including the Hazardous Evidence Response Team, Special Agent Bomb Technicians, the Operational Medicine Team, the Evidence Response Team, the Crisis Negotiations Team and the Special Weapons and Tactics team gave detailed explanations about their capabilities.

The objective of the presentation, according to Dave Sundberg, special agent in charge of the field office, was to illustrate to the media they are ready for whatever comes their way on Jan. 20th and “to show informally what each of these teams does both every day and in support of the national special security event.”

Just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol, the leadership and agents of the field office are well aware of the severity of the threats facing Washington and the gravity of their response.